My house has a formal living room that I don't use. What else can I do with it?

Answer 1

Build a library, or an office, once you put up a wall and door, your personal space may be waiting.

Answer 2

Why don't you use it? Is it because the room is too small/too big, too far away from the kitchen, doesn't have anything "fun" to do in there, the furniture is too formal, gets too hot/too cold, doesn't have enough natural light, is an "ugly" room, etc?

Find out why you don't use the room first...then think about how you would like to repurpose the room. Do you need a home office? A library? A media/home theater? A guest room (you could use a Murphy bed and still have a formal/semi formal gathering space or home office)...a game room, an exercise room (if you have doors that close, or can install doors).

Or, would it be better for your lifestyle to knock out a few walls and incorporate the square footage into another space in the house?

Answer 3

When I was cleaning homes for a living, many of my clients had collections in their formal sitting rooms. The collections were anything from Stickley furniture to pricey figurines. Any quests that came by could see these wonderful things, but realize they are for looking and not touching because they are in the formal sitting area.

Answer 4

make it a library/media center. photos, computer, television, or not...books, art, comfy couches, cool unique lamps, and posters of your fav movies. install doors or floor to ceiling heavy drapes which will block the contents to anyone who enters your home, i have this in my 'formal living room'. works out great. if i don't want anyone to see, i just close the heavy drapes. try JcPenney for them..cheap and beautiful. or potterybarn.com is great as well. restoration hardware or walmart for some great tie-backs for the drapes when not in use. get various throw rugs and carpets. have a carpenter come in and install floor to ceiling shelving units, and such. you buy the wood, 10 inches wide, buy 1-2 inches thick, paint white or neutral. pictures of various photography on top lining around (cheap frames at dollar store or ikea.com) and fill it with your treasures! you won't believe how much time you'll spend in there!

Answer 5

Cover the walls with photography/ family pictures or artwork. You can build a small shelf onto the wall about 5 feet high and put family pictures in nice frames. I've scene it done before. The picture shelf is 6-12" deep and painted the same color as the wall (white?).

Answer 6

If it is isolated from the rest of the house....turn it into an office, a t.v. room, a den for reading. or if possible close it off with a door and make it a guest bedroom or add lots of shelving and turn it into a giant closet.

Answer 7

I would turn it into a "leisure room". Lots of plants and art work, a reading chair and lamp, bookcases with your favorite books/magazines, (a nice stylish desk for the computer so you can go on Y/A of course), your music system and CDs...etc.

Answer 8

Make it your den or a study room.

Answer 9

put a pool table in it or something or if you have an interest or something like music make it into that

Answer 10

We made ours into a playroom, we have toddlers. When we didnt, it too was useless.